Manifolding machine



Nova 10, 9426 c. w. BRENN 2,301,198

MANIFOLDING MACHINE Original Filed Sept. 12, 1938 INVENTOR 5 Patented Nov. 10, 1942 MANIFOLDING momma cm w. Brenn, Montclair, N. 1., mm, to ammphic ReIister Company,

Boboken. N. 1., a

corporation of New Jerley Original application Sep SClaims.

This invention relates to apparatus for making manifolding stationery.

This application is a division of my copending application Serial No. 229,423, filed September 12, 1938.

The use of manifolding forms and devices is helpful in conducting business for two principal reasons. First, it enables a number of copies to be made of a transaction, so that disputes. and questions regarding the transaction may be settled to the satisfaction of all parties concerned; and, second, because, with properly designed printed forms, much of the matter, which would otherwise have to be written out, may be printed, thus simplifying the recording operations, saving time and labor.

Many persons have been unable, economically, to avail themselves of the conveniences and advantages of manifoiding devices, because the cost of producing printed forms in small quantities has heretofore been prohibitive for them. This is due to the fact that a considerable part of the cost in producing manifolding forms results from the time and work required to set up forms individual to each customer.

An object ,of this invention is to provide standardized forms especially designed for the needs of various forms ofibusinesses and yet to economically make these forms individual to each user.

To accomplish this, the present invention contemplates the making and storing, by the manufacturer of the forms, large quantities of different standardized forms with portions of the forms, such as the heading, including the name of the business, the location and services rendered by the customer, and such other data as the customer may desire, omitted, leaving a blank space for this additional matter; and then, in filling the customer's order for a small quantity of these forms, to print on the forms, in an economical manner, such data as is required in the heading of the form by the user. p r

The forms arestored preferably in zigzag folded packs containing a plurality of strips, either separate or connected at alternate side edges, and made from a single web folded in fanfold fashion.

To print-in the additional matter on such a prepared multiple-layer manifolding pile would involve the di'sassociation of the strips making up the pile, and this would be too costly. To printinthe additional matter without disassociating the strips of the pile, the present invention, in its preferred form, prints only the top or original copy by direct engagement with the type, and 6 Divided and ber 24, 1939, Serial N0.

tember 12. 1938, Serial No. this application Novemprints the under or duplicate copies through a transfer medium inserted between the layers of the pile. Thiswill give to the user a completely printed original copy to be given to the customar,

layers of the pile so that, when the top copy is printed, the duplicate copies will also be printed by the transfer material. The transfer material, in the broader aspects of the invention, may have any suitable shape or form, but it is preferable that the transfer material be in the form of fabric disks carrying an ink solution and having frictional engagement with the strips of the pile being fed so that successive portions of the disk are constantly being brought to the printing point. This is a particularly advantageous arrangement where the pile of strips are connected at their opposite side edges, such as a fanfold pile, and, in this situation, the alternate disks are on opposite sides of the web and project between the folds thereof. 7

In the broader aspects of the invention, the

" top record strip can be covered by the transfer material and the heading thereon printed-in by impressing the type on the transfer material and causing the transfer material to transfer the impression to the top strip.

In order to maintain the superposed forms in registration, both during the operation of striking-in the heading or additional matter and during the use of the stationery in a manifolding machine, it is preferable to employ a fanfold web, for this type of web travels as one through both the striking-in machine and the manifolding machine in which it is used.

It will be seen from the above that the present invention provides not only a new method and will be apparent from the specification and claims when taken in connection with the drawing, in which- Figure 1 shows a perspective view of the apparatus for carrying out the invention.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view, taken along lme 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig, 3 is a sectional view, showing the reciproeating feeding slides. 4

In carrying out the method of the present invention, large supplies of continuous record strips are printedup with a succession of forms which include the data required by the user in general, and have a portion of each form-length left blank for receiving the individuals requirements, such as the firm name, place of business, and other data.

After the strips ar printed with the standard form, they are superposed to form the manifolding pile, and may be creased to form a zigzag pack, or otherwise arranged for storage in superposed form until an individual user needs a quantity of manifolding material.

During the printing operation, the strips can be perforated with feeding and registering apertures It which will be in definite predetermined relation with respect to the blank spaces there- The superposed pile can consist of a plurality of individual record strips, or can consist of a record strip folded longitudinally as illustrated, to superpose a plurality of portions thereof to form fanfold stationery. The latter is highly desirable inasmuch as it maintains the forms in registry depthwise of the pile, and secures a uniform feeding during manufacture and use of the record strips.

When an order is received from the individual user, a plate containing his requirements, such as the name of the business, the location, and the services rendered, and other data, is made up, a proper standard form is selected from the standard prepared forms with or without intervening storage, and the superposed record strips are fed through a printing means, and the heading simultaneously struck-in the blank spaces on the forms on the desired superposed strips in the pile which are in printing position without disassociation of the strips in the pile.

Some of the advantages of this method over the prior practices are as follows:

First, it reduces the cost of the individual user, inasmuch as he is not required to furnish plates for the complete set-up covering the full form, but merely a plate for striking-in the heading which includes his individual requirements.

Second, it enables themanufacturer to printup, on a large scale, record strips having standard forms thereon, with a reduction in the cost over small orders.

Third, a single printing-in operation fills in the heading on the superposed pile of record strips without requiring the record strips: to be disassociated, which would be costly.

Fourth, it enables the manufacturer to fill rush orders on stationery more readily, inasmuch as he has the standard forms prepared and can quickly strike-in the desired information in the blank spaces on the forms in a single operation for all of the forms in the superposed pile.

Fifth, it enables the manufacturer to more economically produce manifolding stationery in small quantities so that small users will be in a position to purchase and receive the advantages attendant to the use of prepared manifoidingstationery.

This method can be carried out by various types of apparatus. In the form of apparatus illustrated for performing the method, a supply l5 of preprinted superposed record strips bearing the standard form ll required by the individual user is selected. The supply is positioned adjacent the printing-in machine i6 and is fed over a guide roller I! to the supporting table or bed 18 of the machine. The strips can be fed by any suitable means. The strips preferably are intermittently fed along the upper surface of the table or the supporting bed is by means of pins l9 referring now to Fig. 3 carried by reciprocating slides lSa. The pins are moved by the slides l9a up into engagement with the apertures I4 of one form length to feed the strips forward, as the slides i9a are moved forward, The slides I911 may be moved by any suitable mechanism desired, and the cycle of movement should include the forward movement necessary to feed the strips forward and a return movement which retracts the pins and moves the same out of engagement with the apertures engaged and cause them to engage the apertures in the following form length whereupon the cycle is repeated to feed the strips step-by-step across the table and through the printing mechanism.

Any form of printing mechanism may be used to strike-in the headings. form, a pair of swinging arms 26 are secured to a shaft 2i mounted in a. pair of bearings 22 on the supporting bed. The outer end of the arms carry a printing plate 23. A crank 26 is secured to the shaft to oscillate the same and move the printing plate into engagement with the strips to print the heading in the blank spaces on the strips.

As previously noted, the feeding apertures M are located in predetermined relation with the blank spaces i2 along the strip. This relation is taken advantage of in registering the blank spaces with the printing mechanism, as the feeding means is so arranged that at the end of its stroke the blank spaces will be properlyv located in printing position. The crank arm is actuated in timed relation with the feeding device, through mechanism not shown, to cause the printing plate to be moved into engagement with the strips during the intermission in the feed.

If the pile is made up of separate record strips in superposed relation, the apertures in the strips will serve an additional function in maintaining the record strips in registry depthwise of the pile so that the blank spaces will be in vertical alignment during the printing operation.

In the form of the invention shown in the drawing, the manifolding strips are shown as being fanfold strips and have the alternate mar-- gins 30, 3| of the record strips secured together so that the forms on the integral strips will always be in registry depthwise of the pile..

To reduce the cost of making up the manifolding material, it is proposed to strike-in the headings simultaneously on the desired superposed forms in the pile without disassociating the strips from the pile. This may be accomplished in many Ways. In the illustrated form of the invention, however, it is accomplished by associating a transfer material with the strips while the strips are in printing position so that the transfer materal will overlie the record strips, and, when the printing means is operated, cause the printing-in of the headings on the desired In the illustrated,

strips through the medium of the material.

The transfer material may be of any desired form. However, in the preferred form of the in vention, it comprises a plurality of fabric disks 35 carrying an ink solution. The disks are mounted to rotate about posts 36, one disposed at each side of the strip, so that the transfer material projects into the pile of superposed strips from opposite sides thereof as shown in Fig. 2. This arrangement is suitable for printing-in the heading on fanfoldstrips, wherein the alternate disks project in interleaved relation with the alternate folds of the fanfold material, or the disks can be interleaved with the .independent superposed strips if they are used.

In the illustrated form of the invention, the printing plate is inked while in ineffective position by a suitable inking mechanism not shown such as an inking ribbon lying over the bed and under the printing plate, so that the top copy, which is usually the customer's copy, is printed directly from the type, while the other copies are printed by transfer from the transfer material, which is satisfactory for copies to be sent to the various departments or otherwise used as required.

In the broader aspects of the invention, the top copy may be printed by transfer by having a disk of transfer material overlie the top record strip so that the impression of the plate on the transfer material will cause printing to the top record strip by transfer from the transfer material. When the transfer material is of the type incorporating an ink solution, this can be satisfactorily done, even for the customer's copy, and this operation eliminates the necessity of'inking the printing plate before each printing operation.

It is desirable that a fresh portion of the transtransfer forms thereon providing blank spaces at form-- length intervals therealong, the combination of a supporting bed over which the continuous stationery is fed; means for feeding the strips along the supporting bed; a printing mechanism mounted on the bed and movable into printing relation with the uppermost stri and transfer material comprising a plurality of transfer disks rotatably carried by said bed on opposite sides of said strips, the transfer disks extending across the path of movement of said strips and interleaving with each other a well as the transfer /i g bed;

fer material be presented in printing position I for each printing operation. This is accom plished by the present invention by utilizing the friction between the transfer material and the record strips to feed the transfer disks about the post as the record strips are fed from printing position. In this manner, the record strips themselves serve to position the transfer material for the next printing operation.

After the strips have been printed, they are folded into a zigzag pack, or otherwise packaged, and are sent to the purchaser ready for use.

Variations and modifications may be made within the scope of this invention and portions of the improvements may be used without others.

I claim:

1. In an apparatus for printing-in headings on a plurality of superposed continuous strips of stationery having a succession of preprinted forms thereon providing blank spaces at formlength intervals therealong, the combination of a supporting bed over which the continuous stationery is fed; means for feeding the strips along the supporting bed; a printing mechanism mounted on the bed and movable into printing relation with the uppermost strip; and transfer material comprising a plurality of transfer disks rotatably carried by said bed, the continuous strips being fed over and under said disks so that at the printing position at least some of the individual strips lie beneath a transfer disk, said printing mechanism being movable into engagement with the superposed strips to print-in data on at least some of said blank spaces at formlength intervals, the disks being rotated by the the blank space on I form-length strips when the strips are fed to the printing position so that at the printing position at least some of the individual strips lie beneath a transfer disk, said printing mechanism being movable into engagement with the superposed strip and transfer disks to print in data on at least some of said blank spaces at form-length intervals, the disks being rotated by the frictional drag of the continuous strips as the same are fed past the printing position to present a fresh portion of the disks to the printing means after each printing operation.

3. In an apparatus for completing th manufacture of manifolding stationery by printing-in headings on a plurality of collated continuous strips of stationery having a succession of preprinted forms thereon providing blank spaces at form-length intervals therealong, the combination of a supporting'bed over which the continuous stationery is fed; means for registering and feeding the strips in registry along the supporta printing mechanism mounted on the bed, said mechanism comprising a single printing plat movable into printing relation with the uppermost strip; a plurality of endless superposed transfer members movably carried by said bed adjacent the printing position and extending across the path of movement of the strips and interleaving with said strips at the printing position as the same are fed to said position, said members being frictionally driven by, the advancing strips whereby different portions thereof are seriately presented under the printing mechanism at each printing operation; and means for operating the printing mechanism whereby the plate is'moved into printing relation with the uppermost strip to each successive form to co plete the manufacture of the same, the headi n g on the top strip being printed directly by thev printing mechanism and the other superposed strips being Printed through the medium of'the transfer members.

f 'i In an apparatus for completing the manuac ure 0 manifolding stationery by rin headings on a plurality of superposed 2011;111:011 strips of stationery having a succession of preprinted forms thereon providing blank spaces at intervals therealong, the combination of a supporting bed over which the continuous-stationery is fed from a supply thereof; means for registering and feeding the strips in re istry along the -*suppo ting bed; prin ng the bed, said mechanism the printing plate disposed over superposed continuous st ips; a plurality of print-in the same heading in I superposed transfer disks rotatably mounted on said bed adjacent the printing position, said disks extending across the path of movement of ,said strips and interleaving with said strips as the same are fed to the printing position, said disks being frictionally driven by said advancing strips so that fresh surfaces thereof are brought under said printing mechanism at each printing operation; and means for moving the plate of the printing mechanism into engagement with the uppermost strip and for pressing said plate against said superposed strips when the same are moved to printing position to print-in the same recurring heading in the blank spaces in the uppermost strip, the transfer disks duplicating the impression of the plate on the underlying strips when the plate is pressed against the pile of strips.

5. In an apparatus for completing the manufacture of manifolding stationery by printing-in headings on a plurality of superposed continuous strips of stationery having a succession of preprinted forms thereon providing blank spaces at form-length intervals therealong, the combination of a supporting bed over which the contin-- uous stationery is fed; means for feeding the strips along the supporting bed; printing means mounted on the bed comprising a printing plate movable into printing relation with the strips; a plurality of superposed transfer disks rotatably mounted on opposite sides of said bed at the printing position, said disks projecting into the path of movement of said strips from opp site sides thereof and interleaving with said strips as the same are fed to the printing position, said disks being frictionally driven by the drag of the strips thereover as the same are fed along said bed whereby fresh portions thereof are presented under said printing means at each printing operation; and means for operating the printing means to press the plate against the uppermost strip to print-in the required recurring data in the blank spaces of the uppermost strip, the transfer disks simultaneously duplicating the impression of the plate on the underlying strips.

6. In an apparatus for completing the manufacture of manifolding stationery by printing headings on a plurality of superposed continuous strips of stationery having a succession of preprinted forms thereon provided with blank spaces at form-length intervals therealong and with apertures in predetermined relation with the blank spaces, the combination of a supporting bed over which the superposed continuous stationery is fed; printing means mounted on the bed comprising a printing plate movable into printing engagement with the uppermost strip; means for engaging the apertures in the strips for registering the superposed continuous strips to depthwise' align the blank spaces; means for feeding the strips in registry along the supporting bed and properly positioning the blank spaces with respect to the printing means; a pair of posts fixed to said bed on opposite sides of said bed at the printing position; a plurality of transfer disks rotatably mounted on said posts, said disks having a diameter greater than the width of said strips and projecting into the path of movement of said strips to interleave with the same at the printing position, said disks being frictionally driven by the drag of the strips thereover as the same are fed along said bed whereby fresh portions thereof are presented under said iii printing means at each printing operation; and means for operating the printing means when the strips have been fed to said proper printing position for completing the manufacture of saidstrips by printing in the required recurring data in the blank spaces of the uppermost strip, the

transfer disks simultaneously duplicating the impression of the printing plate in of the underlying strips.

7. In an apparatus for completing the manufacture of manifolding stationery by printing-in headings on a plurality of superposed continuous strips in collated form having a succession of preprinted forms thereon providing blank spaces at form-length intervals therealong, the combination of a supporting bed over which the continuous strip is fed from a support thereof; means for feeding the strips along the bed to a printing position thereof; printing means carried by the bed comprising a printing plate adapted to impress a heading in the blank space of the uppermost strip when moved into printing engagement with the same; a plurality of superposed transfer means, said means comprising disks rotatably mounted on said bed adjacent the printing position, said disks having a diameter greater than the width of said strips and being so mounted relative to said strips that substantially half of the areas thereof extends across the pat of movement of said strips to interleave with at least some of said strips as the same are fed through the printing position; 1 and means for moving the printing plate of said printing mechanism into engagement with the uppermost strip to print in a heading in the blank space thereof, the transfer disks simultaneously duplicating the impression of the printing plate in the blank space of the strips underlying the same as the plate is moved into engagement with the uppermost strip to complete the manufacture of the stationery, said disks being rotated by frictional drag as the strips are fed past the printing position to present a different portion of the disks under the printing plate at each printing operation.

8. In an apparatus for printing-in headings on a plurality of superposed continuous strips of stationery having a succession of preprinted forms thereon providing blank spaces at formlength intervals therealong, the combinationof a supporting bed over which the continuous stationery is fed; means for feeding the strips along the supporting bed; printing means mountedon the bed and movable into printing relation with the strips; a plurality of superposed disks of transfer material, said disks having a radius greater than the width of said strips and rotatably carried by the bed adjacent the printing position to extend across the path of movement of said strips and interleave with at least some of said strips as the same are fed to the printing position; and means for operating the printing means to print in the required recurring data in the blank spaces of the uppermost strip, the transfer disks simultaneously duplicating the impression of the printing means in the blank spaces of the underlying strips, movement of the advancing strips frictionally rotating said disks as the strips are fed thereover so that fresh porthe blank spaces tions of said disks are presented under the print-- ing means at each printing operation.

CARL W. BRENN. 

